


Touch Starved

by MALLR4TS



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings, Flashbacks, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Memories, Other, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Tenderness, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28197975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MALLR4TS/pseuds/MALLR4TS
Summary: Flaco's been by himself for so long, he can barely remember the last time he had somebody to hold, but things are about to change when you can't get off the mountain and stay the night.Gender-neutral reader!
Relationships: Flaco Hernández/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Touch Starved

**Author's Note:**

> one of my lovely mutuals hit me with the 'damn dontcha think flacos really touch starved? cause hes all alone on that mountain' and ive been thinking about it since, so i just HAD to write this
> 
> Tumblr and Twitter are @MALLR4TS

  
  
Flaco rolls over in his bed, an arm reaching out to wrap around your waist and pull you closer but to his surprise, his hand can't find you. He waves his hand around the bed, attempting to find where you'd rolled over to but still, you're not there. His eyes finally snap open as he props himself up on an elbow, realising that the space next to him is empty. In a panic, he looks around his cabin, noticing that you're not sat on his chair or tending to the fire, you're nowhere to be seen.   
  
Flaco's about to jump out of bed, ready to track you down and ask why you've left but the door opens. He watches you enter the cabin, stomping the snow off your boots as you shut the door and lock it, keeping the ghastly chill out. You slide your coat off, putting it back on the peg you usually hang it from and turn to begin making your way back to bed. You stop, trying not to laugh at the sight of a very sleepy and very grumpy Flaco; his hair is a mess, loose strands everywhere, his eyes are almost fully scrunched shut, and he's sticking out his bottom lip much more than usual. He looks like you've just shaken him awake, insulted him, then ran off.   
  
"You alright?" you ask him as he rubs his eyes, his heart slowing down now he knows you're safe.   
  
"Mhmm," Flaco nods. "Where did you go?" he questions.  
  
"To use the outhouse," you tell him. It's not uncommon for you to wake up in the night because you need to empty your bladder, but it's always a pain doing so in the cold. You'd forced yourself out of bed, eyes barely open as you trailed out the cabin, huffing to yourself the whole time.  
  
"Oh," is all Flaco replies. He lies back down, rolling onto his back, leaving more than enough space beside him. Flaco wants to ask you to come back to bed, he wants to reach out and pull you against him, tucking you in as you curl up on his chest, but the gunslinger doesn't want to come across as needy. You'd never stayed the night before but after doing a job for him yesterday, you rode south and spotted lawmen around the abandoned mine. It was getting late and you knew that if you rode past Barrow Lagoon then you'd be ambushed by wolves, so you rode back to Flaco, knowing you can trust him, and asked if you could stay in one of the empty tents outside.   
  
Flaco pushed and pushed for you to take his bed, telling you that he never sleeps away, that he wasn't tired, an array of excuses. You told him you'd share it to which he laughed, reminding you again that he wasn't tired, but you rolled your eyes at him and said "well, when you do get tired you can take the space beside me."   
  
You went to bed, leaving more than enough room for Flaco to join you. You tossed and turned a few times throughout your slumber, unknowingly letting out the softest mewls and sighs as you moved. It caught Flaco off guard at first, he thought there was a whimpering puppy outside his cabin, but when you moved again he realised it was you.   
  
Flaco leans back in his chair, completely forgetting about the wood that he was whittling, more fixated in watching you sleep (in a non-creepy manner.) You looked so peaceful, the calmest thing Flaco's seen in months, maybe years. His eyes suddenly felt so heavy as he yawned, though it took a while for him to build the confidence to go to bed. Normally, Flaco has all the confidence in the world and you know this from the number of compliments and praise he's sent your way, but this was different; Flaco was going to be close to you, probably accidentally cuddling you as he sleeps. What if you wake up and push him off? Or what if you just leave in the night and never return?   
  
Flaco props his hat on the back of his chair as he rubs his eyes, pushing the hair from his face, telling himself that he needs to sleep and that you're understanding, these things happen, and you're both mature and sensible enough to let him down. Well, he expects things to go that way; Flaco's always expected the worst, it's hard not to with the life he lives.  
  
He slumps his bandoliers and gunbelt on his chair, then unbuttons his coat as he approaches his bed. He drapes the thick clothing over you, using it as an extra blanket. Flaco sits on the edge of the bed, taking off his shoes and unfastening his bandana, leaving him in his old, white undershirt and dark pants. Flaco still seems hesitant to join you. It's not that he doesn't want to, he very much does, but being this close to another person is just so... nervewracking for him.   
  
It's been so long since Flaco's had somebody to hold or to hold him when he needs it. He's been on the run for so long, riding from campsite to campsite, usually avoiding the law before they can arrive. He knows his men sometimes go into town just to find some company, or even hold each other when times are tough, but Flaco's the boss, the leader, the man that can't be seen as needy or desperate. But deep down he feels so empty like there's not much left inside of him, like those lonely feeling have almost finished eating him up. His body constantly aches, but now there's a small opening, one where he might be able to find even just the tiniest bit of affection, but it's been so long that he only feels afraid.  
  
  
Finally, Flaco joins you. He decides to lie on his side facing away from you, not wanting to push his luck into your boundaries, or the boundaries Flaco assumes you have. He watches the fire for a while before shutting his eyes, attempting to fall asleep. He's close, ready to doze off at any second, but you let out another soft mewl as you toss and turn again, rolling over once more.   
  
Flaco almost jumps out of his own skin when he feels something touch his waist, but lets out a sigh of relief when he realises that it's just you. It's just you... curling up against his back, wrapping your arm loosely around his waist, spooning a man twice the size of you. A part of Flaco feels sick, only because he's not had any affection in so long that it makes him nervous. He can feel his eyes swelling, his body wanting to cry but he refuses to.   
  
You shuffle close to him, pressing your forehead against his shoulders, still in a deep slumber. Flaco can't take it anymore; he gently rolls over, repositioning your arm around his waist as he moves. He's facing you, his hand coming up to move the loose strands of hair from your face, then pulling the blanket and his coat right up against your chin. Flaco's hand rests on the back of your head, fingertips lazily brushing against your hair. His cheek rests on the top of your head, pulling you against his chest. He lets out a sigh, shutting his eyes.   
  
Flaco suddenly realises how warm he feels, not in the sense that the cabin is too hot, but his insides almost feel like they're on fire. He's hot and mushy, gulping down this small gesture though he feels like he's using you. You're not awake, you're probably unaware that you've cuddled up to him, and Flaco's certain that you'll push him away whenever you do wake.   
  
But for now, Flaco continues to fiddle with the strands of your hair, eventually getting some rest for the first time in days.   
  
  
And that's why Flaco went into such a state of panic when he woke; you're nowhere to be seen and Flaco realises that he's fucked up, he's crossed a boundary that shouldn't have even been looked at, getting cosy with you, and now he'll probably never see you again.   
  
But you strolled back into the cabin, not noticing the sigh of relief Flaco let out as you locked the door behind you.   
  
  
It's far too early for you to get up and honestly, you don't want to. You're still tired, bags under your eyes and a pout on your face. Without thinking, you climb back into bed, rolling over Flaco as you take your spot beside the wall.  
  
"You could have asked me to move over," Flaco tells you as you curl up under the blankets.   
  
"Did want to disturb you, 'specially when you seem so grumpy," you say with a small laugh.   
  
"Grumpy?" Flaco questions as he moves his head to look at you. "Eh, when am I not grumpy?" he shrugs.  
  
"Hm, true," you reply, your voice just above a whisper as you roll onto your side. You shuffle closer to Flaco, clinging onto his arm as you rest your forehead against his shoulder, a lazy attempt of a cuddle. Flaco's taken aback that you have the confidence to just cuddle up to him, or at least try to, but it's enough to begin eating up at his insides, prodding that touch starved sensation he always feels.   
  
Flaco was gripping onto you tightly when you'd woken up, sleeping with you curled up against his chest. You hadn't put much thought into it, you'd always been eager to cuddle that man, both because you want to and because he clearly needs it. So, now that you're back in bed, you've not put any thought into cuddling up to him again, not knowing how much the gesture means to him.   
  
"Come here," Flaco says in the softest voice you've ever heard. He rolls onto his side, pulling you against his chest again as you find comfort and warmth in each other. He's cuddled up to you like before, fiddling with your hair yet again as you snuggle against his chest. Your arm wraps around his waist, kneading at the old white shirt he wears. The fabric is so worn yet still thick, you dread to think how long he's worn it as its clearly the same shirt he wears in his cigarette card, back in his younger days.  
  
  
You've teased him about the cigarette card before, completely forgetting he was on one until you opened up a fresh pack to share a smoke with him, revealing the card. "Look who it is," you smiled as you showed him, to which he rolled his eyes and tried to focus on lighting his cigarette.  
  
"If it wasn't for that, I would have been forgotten by now," Flaco told you, yanking hard at your heartstrings. You could never forget him, you make it your main priority to see him at least once a week, though you'd never admit it to him, probably because he'd just laugh you off, or so you think.   
  
You gazed at the card again, judging the outfit he wears, the playful pose he stands in, that brooding yet cocky look to his eyes. You'd been looking at the card a little longer than you realised and Flaco commented on it. "What is it, huh? What's got you so focused on that thing?"   
  
"Oh," you replied as you looked up at him. A playful smile crossed your lips as you decided to prod at him, it's only fair as he prods at you all the time. "You were just so young and handsome back then, such a catch. If only I'd known you in your prime time," you laughed.   
  
Flaco grumbled, saying something under his breath in his mother language. "Mierda descarada," he pouted. "And what about me now, huh? I'm still me, maybe not young and handsome anymore but eh, I think I can still be quite the catch," Flaco told you, attempting to act confident but it's obvious how much he doubts himself.   
  
"You're still quite the catch," you reassured him. "But you're not young and handsome anymore, you're just handsome now," you smiled.   
  
Flaco let out a deep laugh, the kind that comes straight from his chest, making his eyes squint happily as he told you how funny you are. It's always nice to see him like that, seeing that he's not always just a grumpy old man, that he still has quite the spark inside of him.   
  
  
Your hand continues to knead at the fabric as you finish revisiting that memory, eventually deciding that it's too rough to comfortably hold on to. "I'm going to buy you a new shirt," you tell him as you move your hand south, resting it over his hips instead, your forearm pressing against the waistband of his pants.  
  
"What? Why?" Flaco questions, his eyes shut and his cheek squishing against the top of your head.   
  
"It's so worn and old, almost as old as you," you playfully tease.   
  
"Very funny," Flaco replies in a monotone voice. "You seem to forget who you're talking to, as if I'm not some old gunslinger who could off you at any second," he grumbles.   
  
"You'd kill me just for insulting your shirt?" you question, burying your face deeper against his chest, feeling the way he wraps his arm around you tighter as you move.   
  
"I might do," Flaco replies.   
  
You softly laugh, "you would never," you tell him, moving your hand from his hip and sneaking it under his shirt. Your hand glides softly against his back, skin on skin, the gesture making Flaco let out a deep breath that he didn't even know he was holding onto.   
  
"You're right," Flaco tells you, tilting his head up so he can place a kiss to your forehead, his moustche gently prickling against your skin. "I could never," Flaco reassures you.  
  
You hold onto him and Flaco holds onto you. The pair drift back to sleep, factually knowing now that they have each other, that the hollow feelings they have inside are slowly being filled up. Flaco knows that he won't have any more sleepless nights, that you'll reignite the fire inside of him, that he eventually won't feel so empty. And you know that you'll always have someone to hold you, someone to brush the hairs off your face and kiss your forehead whenever you need him to.   
  
Within time, you'll both feel full again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
